DeLauro says bill would make college more expensive

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, whose district includes part of Shelton, opposes proposed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that she said would make college more expensive for millions of students.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro

The bill would increase interest rates on student loans, making higher education less attainable for working- and middle-class students, according to DeLauro, a Democrat now in her 12th term.

“Education is the great equalizer in American life,” she said. “It opens doors of opportunity to jobs, higher wages, and a better life. Only by keeping college education affordable and available can we continue to have a strong middle class and good job growth.”

DeLauro, a New Haven resident, said Congress should be working to make college more affordable. “That begins with making sure student loan interest rates do not double on July 1,” she said.

Vote could come today

The U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill that DeLauro opposes as soon as today, May 23.

“The bill before the House of Representatives today would make college more expensive by forcing students into loans with higher, ever-changing interest rates,” DeLauro said. “This will only exacerbate the economic insecurity felt by working- and middle-class families and prevent many people from pursuing higher education entirely.”

College loan debt is already climbing higher, reaching an all-time peak of $1.1 trillion this year, according to the congresswoman.

Senior Democrat on subcommittee

DeLauro is the senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Department of Education. The bill expected to be voted on today, HR 1911, would allow interest rates to change on a yearly basis, even if the money has already been borrowed, according to DeLauro.

The city of Shelton is divided between the Third District, represented by DeLauro, and the Fourth District, represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. DeLauro was first elected to Congress in 1990.